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The Blues had their number on the physicality end last game. Let's see how the Bruins respond.

It was a good response. The Bergeron line appropriately acted like they had something to prove. They've been slow starters in every series these playoffs, I hope this is how they will play the rest of the way. They'd been getting outworked and outplayed by the Schenn line in both games. Marchand was unforgivable in game 2, screwed up twice on the Tarasenko goal, and Pastrnak has been a liability most of the playoffs. I'll always wonder how professional athletes can dog it like that one game and then flip the switch the next. But tonight was an absolute clinic even by their standards. It helped that Binnington was... not good.

I guess now we see how the Blues respond in the next one, and how well the Bruins sustain this kind of execution.

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It was a good response. The Bergeron line appropriately acted like they had something to prove. They've been slow starters in every series these playoffs, I hope this is how they will play the rest of the way. They'd been getting outworked and outplayed by the Schenn line in both games. Marchand was unforgivable in game 2, screwed up twice on the Tarasenko goal, and Pastrnak has been a liability most of the playoffs. I'll always wonder how professional athletes can dog it like that one game and then flip the switch the next. But tonight was an absolute clinic even by their standards. It helped that Binnington was... not good.

I guess now we see how the Blues respond in the next one, and how well the Bruins sustain this kind of execution.

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I'm pretty mad about the no-call there and the goal that followed five seconds after when the Bruins should have been on a power play. That's quite a swing in events. But I admit I can't be certain the Bruins would have won if they had gotten that call. Binnington mostly outplayed Rask tonight, the game itself was up and down, and the Bruins missed some golden chances.

I recognize that as a Bruins fan I can't really complain about gooning it up in the Final. But I also recognize that these Bruins are not the same Bruins as before. Their best players are kinda small, and they have relied much more on speed and skill lately than the old physical style. There's no more Thornton, Seidenberg and Boychuk. Chara can swat people around from pure limb leverage, sure. The closest they have, I guess, to an older Bruin archetype is David Backes, who has not been useful in this series. The Bruins are getting the brunt of the physical play in this series. They are just wearing down. Also, getting two guys concussed by a borderline hit and a slewfoot will hurt your chances.

I guess this is what it felt like to be a Canucks fan in 2011? Watching your smaller, more skilled team get worn down over the course of a heavy-hitting series from a bigger team? Ugh. Two more games, but I don't feel confident.

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It’s obviously a mandate from the league. Bettman doesn’t want to have to hand the Conn Smythe to Marchand.

He did eight years ago (well actually to Chara) but Marchand wasn't Marchand then...

I am intrigued by this notion that karma can cross sports though. Like maybe the Celtics wouldn't have imploded this year if the Steelers could have gotten their shit together late in the season any time in the last ten years and kept the Pats from taking a first round bye? Can we trade these? I'd trade the last Pats championship for a Cup. Or can I mortgage a season of Mookie Betts to get Bergeron healthy and Krejci effective?

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The Bengals are a sore subject with me. Last year I had a nice little treble - Bengals o6.5 wins, Red Sox for the World Series at 11/4 and a horse I liked for the Cheltenham Festival in March. I had the first bet as won when they started the season so well.

At least they have been to the playoffs on a semi regular basis plus playing in the same division as Baltimore and Pittsburgh is brutal. Put them in a softer division and there must be a chance the likes of Green and Eifort are healthier. I think they've been a tad unlucky,